Human Face - Moores Cancer Center

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Cancer Center involved inTesting New Leukemia Drug ‘Gleevec’The U.S. Food and DrugAdministration recentlyannounced its approval of theoral drug Gleevec for chronic myelogenousleukemia (CML), which showedstunning results in clinical trials. UCSDCancer Center was one of the sites forclinical testing of the drug.“As participants in the nationalstudy, we were pleased to have beenable to offer this important option toour patients,” said Cancer Centermember Asad Bashey, M.D., Ph.D.,who was the principal investigator forthe UCSD study site.Each year approximately 4,500Americans are diagnosed withCML, a disease in which toomany white blood cells aremade in the bone marrow, thespongy tissue inside the largebones in the body.“Gleevec targets a specific moleculethat is only found on CML cells, so it isable to kill the cancer cells with little orno damage to normal cells,” saidBashey. “This represents a tremendousadvance in cancer chemotherapy.”With the recentexplosion of powerfulmolecular technologynow available in cancerresearch, scientists aresearching intensively to discovertargets in other cancers. AtUCSD, for example, researchers areprobing the anatomy of prostatecancer cells in search of molecules thatare unique to that cancer. If such moleculesare found, these could pave theway for development of future molecular-targeteddrugs, similar to Gleevec.Outreachcrosses state linesResearchers in the Cancer Center’s CommunityOutreach and Education Program, in conjunction withDeaf Community Services and the UCSD Departmentof Communications, have developed a cancer educationprogram designed to reach members of the Deaf community.This innovative program has generated interest throughoutCalifornia, and now in five states in the Midwest.During a videoconference in the Cancer Center’s conferencingfacility, interpreter Janet Maxwell (right) of the UCSDDepartment of Communications signs for project coordinatorDarline Gunsaul (left), as the Cancer Center’s Georgia RobinsSadler, Ph.D., shares details of the Deaf Community CancerEducation Program with interested cancer educators. Theeducators — who want to replicate the program for Illinois,Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma — represent theAmerican Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute’sCancer Information Service, and the Deaf community.The program has been produced on videotape and distributedstatewide by the California Department of HealthServices. It can also be viewed on the Cancer Center’s website: http://cancer.ucsd.edu/outreach/Deafinfo/index.htm.Beauty of DanceSupports Pancreatic CancerDance aficionados gathered at theLawrence Community Theatre in LaJolla recently for a gala evening of balletto raise funds for pancreatic cancer research atUCSD Cancer Center. The benefit was dedicatedto the memory of Dame Sonia Arova, whoseinternational renown as a prima ballerina wascomplemented by many years in San Diego as apre-eminent teacher of dance.The program brought together former studentsof Dame Sonia from ballet companies throughoutCalifornia and from as far away as Alabama.Among the dances performed were timeless selectionsfrom “Sleeping Beauty” and “Swan Lake,”along with more contemporary works and anoriginal pas de deux choreographed in lovingmemory by Thor Sutowski, husband of the lateDame Sonia.Cancer Center Director David Tarin commented,“It is an honor for our Cancer Center to beselected as a beneficiary of this creative responseto the need for new research into pancreatic cancer.We are grateful to have the beauty of danceplaced in service to that important cause.”Sponsors for the event were the San DiegoDance Alliance, the Pacific Repertory Ballet, andMr. Sutowski. Volunteer organizers includedBarbara Gibson, Director of the Pacific RepertoryBallet, and her sister, Chris Gibson, NurseManager of UCSD Radiation Oncology.UCSD Cancer Center News8
Surf event rides waveof success for cancerThe 8th Annual UCSD Cancer Center Luau & LongboardInvitational will be held on Sunday, August 26, at theScripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla.Surf art pioneer John Severson has created this piece'Legends of La Jolla' as the official artwork of the EighthAnnual Luau. The piece will be auctioned off during theLuau portion of the event with the proceeds going tofund research at the Cancer Center.Last year the event raised$200,000. Organizers ofthis year’s event hope totop this amount with the helpof local businesses, celebritiesand the surfing legends of the‘50s and ‘60s.For the second year in arow, Ericsson has signed on asthe Title Sponsor of the event,which raises money to fundpromising new cancerresearch programs. Othersponsors include SilvergateBank (VIP), ChugaiPharmaceuticals (VIP),Cymer (VIP), Pacifica Trust,Scripps Institution ofOceanography, DPR SanFrancisco, DPR San Diego, The Genomics Institute,Qualcomm and Yahoo.Hawaiian Airlines has agreed to be the Official Airlines ofthe 2001 event. As part of their sponsorship they willdonate the “Ultimate Hawaiian Getaway,” which will be featuredduring the live auction portion of the event. Thispackage includes two first-class roundtrip tickets from SanDiego to Oahu, an inter-island flight pass good for travelbetween the islands, as well as seven nights hotel accommodationson the winner’s choiceof island and a seven day carrental.The event includes an earlymorning surf competition ofteams sponsored by local companies,and a sumptuous luau-stylebuffet with Polynesian dancers.A highlight of the day’s activitieswill be the mid-morning“Expression Session,” whenapproximately 30 surfing legendswill take to the water for a specialexhibition of their incomparabletechniques.“This is a unique and funevent. What other local fundraiserallows you to wear shorts and aHawaiian shirt, takes place outdoorsat the water’s edge and mixes Fortune 500 executives,local and national celebrities, and the legends of surfing?We really are ‘surfing for a cure’ and I can’t think of a moreimportant cause,” said event chair Steve Blank.The UCSD Cancer Center Luau & LongboardInvitational has raised nearly $900,000 over the last sevenyears. To find out how you can get involved, visitwww.luau.ucsd.edu, or contact Steve Blank at(858) 822-2293 or stblank@ucsd.edu.9th Annual Moeller Run/Walk Supports Melanoma ResearchOn a recent spring day,approximately 80 SymitarSystems employees andtheir families put on their walkingshoes and joined in the 9th AnnualMurray Moeller Run and Walk. Theenthusiasm level was high as runnersand walkers traversed 3.1 scenicmiles of the UCSD campus. Afterthe run/walk, participants gatheredat Humphrey’s on the Bay for acompany-hosted, scrumptiousbrunch and award ceremony.Coordinated by TheresaBenavidez, this annual event is heldin memory of Murray Moeller, aSymitar employee who died ofmelanoma in 1992. Mr. Moeller’sparents were on hand to cheer onthe runners and walkers as theycrossed the finish line. The SymitarSystems board of directors matchesfunds raised by employees for thismemorial. To date, this run/walk hascontributed over $25,000 to theUCSD Cancer Center for melanomaresearch.9UCSD Cancer Center News
Page 3 and 4: ■ A national construction company
Page 5 and 6: focused on delivering outstanding m
Page 7: Community SupportMakes a Difference
Page 11 and 12: I NIM EMORIAM:Bruce Hazard and Ben

Human Face - Moores Cancer Center

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?